Fabric dyeing apparatus



June 18, 1968 F. c. wARDLAw FABRIC DYEING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 25, 1966 INVEN'I'OR fpm/f @Wm/m ATTORNEY June 18, 1968 F. c. WARDLAW 3,388,571

FABRI C DYE ING APPARATUS Filed July 25, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENFOR ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,388,571 FABRIC DYEING APPARATUS Frank C. Wardlaw, 511 3rd St., Cheraw, S.. 29520 Filed .Iuly 25, 1966, Ser. No. 567,429 3 Claims. (Cl. 68-I84) ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A very compact high capacity uid treatment apparatus for an endless fabric tow which is spread out to its full width in a substantially taut condition while moving lengthwise of the tow completely immersed in a liquid bath within a fluid treatment tank. Reversible drive means for the endless tow is provided, together with a uid circulating means including pipes which spray liquid under pressure on the running webs of the tow.

This invention relates to dyeing apparatus, and more particularly to an apparatus for dyeing batches of open width textile fabric.

An object of the invention is to provide a dyeing apparatus of the above-mentioned character which is very compact in construction and capable of processing a maximum length of fabric in a minimum tank space.

Another object of the invention is to provide an open width fabric dyeing apparatus including a dyeing tank within which an endless tow of fabric is completely irnmersed in the dyeing liquor, together with a simplified arrangement of spray headers which circulate the dyeing liquor through the moving fabric continuously and recirculate the liquor in the system.

Another object is to provide a dyeing apparatus which includes a plurality of fabric-engaging rolls and drive gearing for the rolls causing them to revolve at the same surface speeds throughout the apparatus, either forwardly or in reverse.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following detailed description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

FIGURE l is a side elevation of a fabric dyeing apparatus according to the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an end elevational View of the apparatus;

FIGURE 3 is a transverse vertical section through the apparatus;

FIGURE 4 is an end elevational view showing the end opposite to that illustrated in FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken on line 5-5 of FIGURE 1.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral designates a rectangular dyeing tank which is adapted to be substantially completely lled with a dyeing liquor so that the fabric being dyed in the tank is completely immersed during the operation of the apparatus. The tank may be supported in any conventional manner.

A simplied dyeing liquor recirculation system is employed in conjunction with the tank 10 comprising a suitable external recirculating pump 11 having an outlet pipe 12 and a return pipe 13, as shown. The return pipe 13 is connected with a drain opening arranged centrally in the bottom wall of the tank as indicated at 14. The outlet pipe 12 leads to a transverse horizontal branch 15 adjacent one end wall of the tank It), and the branch 15 connects directly with preferably three horizontal longitudinal spray headers 16 within the tank near the vertical center thereof and extending substantially for the full length of the tank between the end walls 17 thereof. The spray headers 16 are perforated on their opposite sides at longitudinally spaced intervals, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 5, at 18.

A system of power-driven rolls is provided within the tank 10 to support the endless tow 19 of fabric and to convey the fabric both forwardly and rearwardly through the dyeing liquor for predetermined distances and for maintaining the fabric in an open width condition at all times. This system of rolls, as best shown in FIGURE 3, comprises three upper rolls 20 near the top of the tank and three bottom rolls 21 near the bottom of the tank, all of equal diameterfBelow and above the rolls 20 and 21, respectively, and in vertical alignment therewith, are sets of three intermediate rolls 22 and 23 of equal diameter and slightly smaller diameter than the rolls 20 and 21. Below and above the rolls 22 and 23, respectively, are interior sets of rolls 24 and 25 of still smaller diameter in vertical alignment with the aforementioned rolls. All of these rolls extend horizontally and longitudinally through the tank 10, FIGURE 1, and have their opposite shaft ends journaled for rotation within bearings 26 securely attached to bars 27 on the tank end walls 17.

An additional pair of outboard top rolls 2S of the same diameter as rolls 20 are provided at the top of the tank and just inwardly of the tank side walls 29, at the same elevation as the rolls 20. These outboard rolls 28 also have their shaft ends supported by additional bearings 26 on the aforementioned bars 27, as shown in FIGURE 2.

Gearing is provided to revolve all of the aforenamed rolls in unison and in the proper direction for advancing the fabric 19 either forwardly or rearwardly within the dyeing tank. This gearing comprises an endless loop sprocket chain 30 arranged to run vertically near and outwardly of one tank end Wall and driven by a conventional reversible motor 31 having a sprocket gear 32 on its armature shaft engaging the chain, FIGURE 4. A lower run 33 of the chain engages the tops of sprocket gears 34 carried by the shaft ends of the lowermost rolls 21. The chain then engages a corner idler or guide sprocket gear 35 on the outside of the tank which forms the chain into a substantially vertical run 36 at one side of the tank. At the top of this run, the chain engages another guide sprocket gear 37 and then engages the tops of three sprocket gears 38 carried by the shaft ends of the three upper rolls 20 to power the latter at the same speed as the rolls 21. Simultaneously, diagonal stretches 39 of the chain engage the undersides of sprocket gears 40 on the shaft ends of the outboard rolls 28.

At the opposite end of the tank, FIGURES l and 2. the shaft ends of the several sets of rolls 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24, 25 carry gears 41, 42 and 43 which intermesh in vertical groups, as best shown in FIGURE 2. By virtue of this arrangement, the several rolls of the system shown in FIGURE 3 are all positively driven for moving the fabric 19 forwardly or rearwardly while immersed in the dyeing liquor within the tank.

With continued reference to FIGURE 3, the fabric is arranged in an endless section or loop during the dyeing process and the several rolls within the tank maintain the fabric spread laterally to its full open width during processing. The path of the fabric may be traced from the right-hand corner roll 28, FIGURE 3. down- Wardly and under the roll 21 and then upwardly and around the roll 22 and then downwardly and under the roll 25 and upwardly and over the opposite side of roll 24 and downwardly and beneath the roll 23 and then upwardly and over the roll 20 and similarly throughout the remainder of the system which includes the two additional vertical groups of rolls 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25 in FIGURE 3. From the final upper roll 20, the fabric passes under the left-'hand corner roll 28 and then back to the initial roll 2S in a horizontal run immediately above the rolls 20.

During the operation of the apparatus, the pump 11 circulates the dyeing liquor in a continuous circuit shown by the arrows in FIGURE l. The liquor discharges continuously under pressure from the perforations 18 in the opposite sides of each spray header 16. The sprayed dyeing liquor impinges against and penetrates through the .moving webs of fabric 19 which are immediately Vadjacent the perforated spray headers, such action being shown in detail in FIGURE 5. In this manner, lall of the moving fabric is continuously subjected to this spraying action in the recirculating system and all of the fabric is continuously immersed in the dyeing liquor. The reversible motor 31 is set by a suitable automatic timer of a conventional type to advance the fabric 19 in one direction within the tank for a predetermined period of time and then to reverse the movement of the fabric in the tank and to cause it to move in the reverse direction for an equal length of time. This mode of operation causes the fabric to be dyed most evenly and without streaks, variations or other defects.

It may be observed in FIGURE 3 that there 4is no rubhing contact between the various fabric webs and these webs may be allowed to run in closely spaced relation to conserve space but without Contact.

The graduated diameters of the driving rolls 22-24 cause the web to be driven at the same linear speed at all points in the system and without `abrading the fabric. Likewise, the gearing shown in FIGURES 2 and 4 is designed to impart the proper direction of rotation to each roll of the system to advance the fabric in one direction without slippage or abrasion. It may readily be seen by reference to the drawings that the gearing imparts the proper rotation to each roll of the system to advance the fabric in unison with every other roll of the system through the path of travel previously described with respect to the roll.

The apparatus is highly compact and very efficient and is ideally suited for the processing of open width batches of fabric as distinguished from the long ropes or tows which are commonly dyed in dye becks utilizing elliptical reels above a tank having a sloping bottom. A chief disadvantage of this latter method is that the fabric is never opened to its full width and is always subjected to a certain amount of abrasion and bruising where it collects in the bottom of the tank. The advantages of the present apparatus will be apparent to those skilled in the art without the necessity for any further description herein.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the subjoined claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A Huid treatment apparatus particularly for treating an endless fabric tow fully submerged in a treatment 'bath while spread out to full width and substantially taut, said apparatus comprising a tank adapted to be substantially lled with a treatment liquid, plural vertically spaced horizontal rows of driven fabric tow engaging rolls within the tank in two distinct groups near the `bottom of the tank and the top of the tank, the rolls in each horizontal row of each distinct group being uniformly spaced laterally and the plural rows of each group `being uniformly spaced vertically within the tank, the diameters of the rolls in the plural rows of each group being graduated in diameter and decreasing in diameter toward the vertical center of the tank with `the largest diameter rolls disposed in the two horizontal rows adjacent the bottom and top of the tank, the major portion of the tank between the top and bottom groups of rolls being unobstructed, a single pair of outboard driven rolls in lateral alignment with the rolls of the uppermost row in the tank, the two outboard rolls disposed close to a pair of vertical side walls of the tank and the lowermost horizontal row of rolls disposed close to the bottom wall of the tank, a fluid circulating pump mounted cxteriorly of the tank and including an inlet conduit entering through one vertical end wall of the tank substantially at the vertical center thereof and spaced sub stantially equidistantly from the top and bottom distinct groups of rolls, plural parallel horizontal spray header pipes within the tank substantially at the vertcal center thereof and extending for substantially the full width of the tank between the two end walls of the tank and connected with and receiving fiuid under pressure from said inlet conduit near one tank end wall, each spray header pipe having spray apertures formed therethrough along its opposite sides for substantially its entire length so that each spray header pipe may direct plural spray jets of uid horizontally from its opposite sides directly onto two opposing webs of the moving fabric tow simultaneously, said spray header pipes disposed between vertical rows of said driven rolls, a Huid return pipe connected in the bottom wall of the tank and leading to the pump for returning fluid thereto in a continuous circulating cycle, and power drive means for all of said driven rolls on the exterior of the tank and allowing the minimum obstruction of the tank interior chamber so that the largest possible fabric tow may be treated therein.

2. A fluid treatment apparatus as defined by claim 1, and wherein each distinct group of driven rolls includes three distinct vertically spaced horizontal rows of rolls, whereby the endless fabric tow may be threaded serially around the pair of outboard rolls and then around six vertically aligned rolls in the two distinct groups and similarly `around six vertically aligned rolls in two more vertical .rows within the two groups to thus form three distinct vertical regions in the endless fabric tow within the tank with each region containing .ve distinct webs of fabric in non-contacting reiation and one additional diagonal web leading from the ybottom of one region to the top of the next adjacent region, said spray header pipes numbering three with one spray header pipe disposed between the diagonal web and an outer vertical web of each fabric tow region.

3. A fluid treatment apparatus as defined by claim 2, and wherein said power drive means includes rotary shafts supporting said driven rolls and having shaft ends projecting beyond the tank vertical end walls, gears on the shaft ends in intermeshing relation for driving all of said rolls in unison and in a desired direction, and an endless drive chain engaging certain gears of certain shaft ends.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 10,894 5/1854 Roth et al. 68-175 66,839 7/1867 Hogeland 68-43 1,093,433 4/1914 Kebabian 68-175 1,665,230 4/1928 Spalding 68--175 X 3,095,720 7/1963 Jakob 68-43 3,226,962 1/1966 Lincoln 68-177 3,301,026 1/1967 Mason et al 68l77 FOREIGN PATENTS 77,037 1/ 1955 Netherlands.

WILLIAM I. PRICE, Prnm/y Examiner. 

